The First Muggle at Hogwarts
by BlueRowley
Summary: What if Hermione had been born with no magic? No different from the next muggle, Hermione finds herself on a mysterious train that takes her to a castle full of wonders and magic she's never seen before. Will she be accepted in a school of wizards and witches? Would they let her stay? Or will she always be no more than an insufferable know-it-all?


First part written for The Quidditch League Fanfiction Competition, but will most likely be continued as a multi-chapter story. This prompt has inspired a lot more than just where this story leaves off.

Team: Appleby Arrows

CHASER 3: A character never had any powers to begin with (squib!AU, muggle!AU, any other reasons you can think of)

Optional prompts: 5. (dialogue) "Wait a minute, what just happened here?"

7\. (dialogue) "Sometimes even the wrong train takes us to the right station"

13\. (magical creature) Demiguise: in this story, the demiguise has a few original (non-canon) facts and magical abilities.

Word Count: 2997

* * *

While the other girl scouts finished packing up their bags in their hotel room, Hermione quickly slipped into the nearby public library. She ran to the fiction section, scanning the shelves for one of her favorite books: _Gulliver's Travels_ by Jonathan Swift. Even after reading it three times already, Hermione craved being immersed in fantastical worlds of magic and laughter, and she could never put this book down once she started reading.

Hermione smiled and turned around with the book in hand, her eyes glancing down at another book on a table that was sandwiched between two armchairs. The title read: _Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them_ by Newt Scamander. Frowning, Hermione tucked her book under her arm and picked up the strange book on the table, turning it over in her hands before flipping through the pages. Images of creatures, bizarre and unreal—unicorns, manticores, and centaurs—flashed before her eyes.

Hermione smiled and brought both books up to the librarian to check out.

"Well, if it isn't Miss Hermione Granger," the librarian greeted, leaning against the counter.

"Good evening, Mr. Allan," Hermione said, sliding the books over to the man.

"Checking out more books, are we? Gulliver's Travels. Haven't you read this one enough?"

"Of course not! You can never read a book too many times. I found this new one, though."

After swiping the barcode of _Gulliver's Travels_, Allan picked up the book in question, adjusting his glasses and running a hand down the spine before opening up the cover.

"It's not a library book," he said with a shake of his head. He flipped through the pages. "Ah—looks like children's fairy tales. A little below your intelligence level, don't you think?" Allan winked at Hermione as she handed her library card over.

She laughed, then asked, "Do you think I could borrow it? I'll bring it back."

"Well, it's not the library's book . . ." Allan started to say, searching the inside cover for a name. He glanced at Hermione, who looked up hopefully at him, wide doe eyes and all. He sighed. "You know what I'll do? Since you are such a frequent customer and very gentle on the books, I'll let you borrow this. And if anyone comes in looking for it, I'll give your parents a call to bring it back, all right?"

"Really?"

"Just this once. Be especially careful with it." Allan handed Hermione the books.

"Thank you, Mr. Allan!"

"You're welcome. Tell your parents I wish them well."

Hermione ran out of the library in time to catch up with the other girl scouts and their leaders. All the girls lined up, Hermione taking up the rear while their head leader took a head count. One of the other leaders stood next to Hermione.

"We were looking for you again," the woman told her. "It is far too early to be taking off."

"I only went to the library," Hermione said, slipping one of her books in her bag.

"Stay with the group," the woman said, Hermione nodding. "We are going to the train station; we have to be there two hours ahead of time and you've already set us behind schedule."

The girls started walking to the train station and Hermione opened the new book to read and walk. It was the strangest fantasy book. The author made it sound like these creatures were real. Hermione paused as she read a section on a creature called a demiguise: _"Only wizards and witches who are specially trained in their capture are able to successfully track and even see this elusive beast."_

"Is this some kind of roleplay book?" Hermione asked aloud. She read on.

_"With that said, a young demiguise separated or orphaned by its mother will be much easier to find. Though they can turn invisible, an adolescent has a cat -like curiosity and will readily explore its surroundings, even at the risk of capture or death. This behavior is prized by dark wizards and witches looking to make invisibility cloaks out of the demiguise's pelt."_

I wonder if there's a book or two I should have read before this one, Hermione thought. She had to stop reading for a minute to watch where she was going as the girl scouts arrived at Kings Cross train station. She followed her fellow scouts to a row of seats, and they all sat down patiently.

"When we get to Cambridge," the head leader began speaking, "we will check into our hotel, have lunch, then head to Harvard square to set up our bake sale fundraising. Stay together while we get everything settled here."

The girls chattered away while Hermione turned her attention back to her book, pushing a loose strand of her hair behind her ear. As she did so, a movement in the corner of her eye caught her attention. She snapped her head around. Something silver slipped behind one of the brick walls a distance away from her group. Hermione blinked.

"That wasn't a . . ." Hermione glanced down at her book. "No way."

Looking back at the other girls, Hermione made sure no one was paying her any attention. Not surprisingly, no one was. Standing, Hermione tiptoed away, walking down to the wall she had seen something hide behind. She slowed her approach as she neared it, cautiously peering around it.

There was nothing.

Hermione swiveled her head around. She could have sworn she had seen something go behind the wall. Hermione looked down at her book, staring at the picture of a demiguise, then tilted her head and pressed her lips together. She stepped around the wall.

A loud squeak startled Hermione. She jumped back and stared at the ground. Slowly, silver hair appeared into view.

Hermione's eyes widened. It was a small, silver creature that looked like a cross between a sloth and an ape. It blinked up at her with large brown eyes, cradling its tail. It was a demiguise, just like the one in her book.

"Oh my, you're real," Hermione said, her eyes darting back and forth from the book to the animal. She kneeled by it, feeling bad when the animal curled into itself.

"It's okay," Hermione said, slipping her book in her bag. "I won't hurt you. Did I step on your tail? I'm sorry—let me see."

Hermione slowly reached out and felt the tail, amazed at how soft the animal was. The tail did not feel broken, but Hermione had no clue how to tell for sure. The demiguise hunched its shoulders, trembling and jumping at every loud noise it heard. Hermione shushed it, offering a hand for it to sniff.

"It's okay. I promise. Are you lost? Did you lose your mummy?"

It was the strangest thing to see brown eyes suddenly turn blue and glow when the demiguise looked up at her and stared. After several seconds, the demiguise's eyes changed back to brown and it stepped toward Hermione in an ape-like manner, walking on all four. It sniffed her, then smiled as she stroked its cheek. Hermione smiled back.

"Pardon me—sorry!" someone shouted as he ran past Hermione, knocking into her and the demiguise as he vanished into the wall.

Losing her balance, Hermione fell forward with a shout of surprise, throwing her hands out to catch herself against the wall. However, she grunted when her chest hit the ground, her body seemingly passing through the wall. The demiguise shuffled up to her face, cooing down at her.

Hermione pushed up, dragging herself forward into the dark area, looking back at more darkness.

"Wait a minute, what just happened here?" Hermione asked aloud. "Am I somehow in the wall?"

The demiguise cooed up at her, gesturing forward before running ahead.

"Wait!" Hermione called to it, chasing after it. She walked out of the darkness, her mouth dropping at the sight of a whole new platform and people of all ages hustling about in strange attire around her. The waiting train read: Hogwarts Express, and the horn sounded loudly. Hermione spun in a circle as she stared at everything.

"Really, what just happened?" she muttered to herself.

The demiguise scurried behind her as a cart rolled by, oblivious to the small creature. Hermione stepped back as a couple older teens rushed by her, yelling about being late. The demiguise cried out when Hermione nearly stepped on it.

"Oh, sorry," Hermione said. She reached for the small animal, paused, then offered out a hand. "Here, maybe you can ride my back."

The demiguise used both hands to pull itself up Hermione's arm. Hermione moved her hand toward her back and the demiguise clung to Hermione's back like a monkey, its hands gripping her shoulders and its feet holding on to her waist.

"Look at this place," Hermione said, moving through the crowd of older people waving at the kids on the train. "It's so . . . magical! It's like everything in that book is coming to life."

"But Mum," a young child complained, catching Hermione's attention. In the crowd was a young man holding an owl in a birdcage, an older lady fussing over his windblown hair and wrinkly robe. "My hair is fine. And stop messing with my robe."

"No son of mine will show up at Hogwarts unpresentable," the lady said. She huffed before pulling out a long, thin stick and tapping her son on the head with it. Hermione took a step back when the boy's hair straightened, and the robe smoothed out instantly. "You'll learn to keep your things tidy if it's the only thing I teach you. Now get on that train."

The lady waved her stick again and a suitcase flew over to the train, the boy snatching it out of the air as he boarded.

Hermione blinked. Then rubbed her eyes. Then blinked again.

"I'm losing my mind," she said. "I must be dreaming. It's like magic! That's what's happening—magic! But magic is only in fairy tales. Isn't it?"

The demiguise cooed, then slowly turned invisible as people brushed by, a couple giving Hermione strange looks. Hermione stared as a couple adults vanished from sight with a loud crack, another adjusting a long bath robe he was wearing, while a woman adjusted a hat on her daughter. Hermione's smile grew bigger with each incredible display.

"They look like . . . witches. Like the book said, witches and wizards! It's all real."

The train whistled again, and a clock began chiming eleven o'clock. Hermione stared for a moment longer, glanced back at the wall she had walked out of, then back at the train.

"It looks like you and I are getting on the wrong train," Hermione said.

She ran forward and climbed aboard, just as the doors closed on their own behind her and the train began chugging forward. Hermione watched all the waving adults fade from view as the train sped up. I am so grounded, Hermione couldn't help but think.

Hermione moved through the compartments until she found an empty seat and claimed it, pulling out her book on fantastic beasts. She wondered where the train was taking all these kids and teens. A school, maybe? A school of magic. The demiguise hopped off her back and looked out the window, squeaking at the scenery. Hermione smiled at it before looking back down. It was a long, uneventful ride for the most part, and Hermione managed to read about several creatures.

"Aww, cute demiguise," a girl's voice said.

Hermione glanced up to see a dark-haired girl smiling at the demiguise. The girl noticed Hermione staring and said, "Parvati Patil. Your demiguise, he's cute. They're rare to have as familiars. The headmaster must have given you special permission to bring him."

"Err, yes. How did you know it was a he?"

"Everyone knows a male has dark brown eyes while the females have golden eyes. He's a young one, too. Must have been orphaned."

"That's how I got him," Hermione said quickly. "He was orphaned. No mother, so I took him in."

"What's his name?"

"Oh, err—his name is Gulliver. Yeah, Gulliver."

"Hi Gulliver. Well, we'll be nearing Hogwarts soon; better change into your robe. I'm sure I'll see you around."

Parvati moved down the compartment, disappearing behind a door. Hermione frowned, putting away her book and looking out the window. After a few minutes, she saw a pile of ruins appear in the distance. A large sign was posted on the moldering entrance saying DANGER, DO NOT ENTER, UNSAFE. Hermione crinkled her nose. This is the great Hogwarts? She could hear some cheers erupting from some other kids on the train.

"Are they seeing what I'm seeing?" Hermione said to Gulliver.

Gulliver cooed at her, then jumped up to her shoulder and licked her across the eyes, earning a disgruntled noise from Hermione. Hermione wiped her eyes and glared at Gulliver, but the new sight that greeted her spared the demiguise from her anger.

The ruins had become a magnificent castle surrounded by mountains, a great lake just to the south, and a small hut down a hill.

"Wow. Wait a minute, how did you do that? How does that even work?"

The demiguise gave a curious squeak as the train came to a stop and everyone began getting off. Hermione lingered in the back, keeping her distance. She followed some of the older students, hopping into a horseless carriage that moved itself. Hermione tried to make sense of how the carriages worked when it stopped in front of the gates. She had no choice but to get off and follow the students up to the castle. Some gave her a questioning look, but most were oblivious to her, and she tried to keep back a bit from the crowd, feeling very out of place.

They were all heading to a large room. Gulliver sniffed the air and licked his lips, squeaking at the smell of food. Hermione was sure she would have to tell an adult that she had boarded the wrong train at some point to get back home, but for now, she wanted to know more about this castle and the wonderful magic surrounding her.

As she neared the large room's entrance, a tall, dark robed figure with lanky black hair stood in her way, sneering down at her.

"What do we have here?" the man said. "A first year who missed the boats, perhaps?"

Hermione gulped and stepped back slightly. She felt memories of the day's events rush to the front of her mind against her will, and the man glowered at her.

"A trespasser," he growled. "I suppose we'll see what the headmaster thinks of you."

* * *

Hermione found herself in a large office several minutes later with three professors staring at her. Well, two staring, one glaring. She gulped, shifting in her seat with Gulliver. The headmaster, Albus Dumbledore, had been quick to introduce himself and offer her lemon drops, which she politely declined. There were too many butterflies in her stomach for sweets right now.

"We will have to obliviate her," the black-haired wizard said. "This is just outrageous. Never has a muggle step foot into Hogwarts before. How did this even happen?"

"Severus, do not scare her," an older woman said. "Keep your voice down. But Albus, he's right. She must go home with no memory of this. And the creature—I guess we could call Scamander."

Hermione held Gulliver tighter in her arms, the small creature snuggled against her chest.

"I say just hand it over to the disposal committee of magical creatures," Severus said.

"Dangerous magical creatures," the woman snapped.

"I see no difference between any creature, Minerva."

"Now, now," Albus began. "This will be handled as carefully as possible. We will most likely call Newt to take the little demiguise and then—"

"No!" Hermione said, standing up and hugging the demiguise. "Please don't take Gulliver. And please, headmaster, this place is amazing. I don't want to forget it. I shouldn't have gotten on the train, but I don't regret it. This has been such an amazing day and . . . I'd like to learn. It's a school, isn't it? For wizards?"

"And witches," Albus corrected gently.

"Please, sir. Couldn't I stay? If not, can I at least keep Gulliver?"

Albus stared at Hermione, his eyes twinkling as they moved between the girl and Gulliver. "Perhaps," he said, "you were on the right train after all."

Severus and Minerva spluttered while Hermione just waited to hear an explanation, keeping a tight hold on Gulliver. Albus continued.

"The barrier at Kings Cross let you through for a reason, and that friendship you have made between yourself and Gulliver is remarkable. It seems to me as though you were meant to be here, child."

"Albus," Severus growled, "you cannot be serious."

"Remember," Minerva said, "she is a muggle. What could she possibly benefit from by staying here? What would she learn?"

"She seems like a bright girl. She could learn the theory and histories behind our world. There are far too many coincidences that led this child being here and I feel as if it could only be fate."

"What would we tell the students? As they were told before the sorting ceremony, they know that a muggle is here after boarding the wrong train."

"Sometimes even the wrong train takes us to the right station." Albus smiled at Hermione, who smiled back, allowing the demiguise to swing over to her back and cling to her shoulders comfortably. Albus spoke, "We will have to make arrangements to inform your parents of your acceptance into Hogwarts and allow you to collect some belongings. You will need to be sorted, of course. But you made it to Hogwarts. And for whatever reason, this was meant to be. Welcome to Hogwarts, Miss Hermione Granger."

"Thank you so much, sir," Hermione beamed.


End file.
